It was one of the wonderful days of my trip across Poland.I really love animals and could not miss going to the zoo.Sometimes I think that I like animals more than people.Interesting Flamingo Facts:
1.Adult bird is 3.3 - 4.6 feet tall and weigh between 3.3 - 9 pounds.
2.Flamingos wingspan ranges from 3.3 - 5 feet.
3.Color of their feather is result of their diet: pigments in their food (called carotenoids) are responsible for red and pink colors of their feathers. They eat shrimps, algae, crustaceans…
4.When they eat, their head is positioned upside-down. They suck water and filter the food.
Flamingos hold their breath while feeding.
5.During migration, they fly up to 37 miles per hour and travel distance of over 300 miles to reach their new habitat.
6.Flamingos spend 15-30% of the day in cleaning their feathers: oil produced in a special gland will be spread over feathers with a help of their beak.
7.Flamingos live in large groups called colonies. Some colonies consist of million birds.
8.Baby flamingos will hatch in the nest made of mud.
9.Flamingos are monogamous (they have just one partner) and they produce one egg each year.
10.Both mother and father keep the egg warm before it hatches. Few days after hatching both parents will start feeding their chick with milk-like substance rich in fats and proteins.
11.Baby flamingos don't have curved bill, it becomes curved after few months.
When they want to rest, flamingos stand on one leg.
12.The visible "knee" of the flamingo is actually ankle joint. True knee is close to the body and can't be seen because of the feathers.
13.Flamingos live between 20 and 30 years.
Interesting Crocodile Facts:
Closest relatives of crocodiles are birds and dinosaurs.
Crocodiles live on the Earth 240 million years. They appeared at the same time when dinosaurs appeared.
Crocodiles vary in size. Largest crocodile species is Saltwater Crocodile which can reach 13-18 feet in length and weigh up to 2200 pounds. Smallest crocodile species is Dwarf Crocodile which can reach 5 feet in length and weigh up to 40-70 pounds.
Crocodiles are meat-eaters (carnivores). They have 24 sharp teeth which are used for killing of fish, birds, mammals and small crocodile (their prey).
Crocodiles don't chew their food. They tear apart flesh and swallow large chunks of meat. They sometimes swallow stones to ensure faster grinding of the food in their stomach.
Expression "cry crocodile tears" is based on the true fact - crocodiles produce tears when they eat. They don't cry because they feel sorry for the prey, but because they swallow too much air, which gets in touch with lachrymal glands (glands that produce tears) and forces tears to flow.
They have one of the strongest bites in the animal world. Muscles which induce closing of the jaw are much stronger than muscles which open the jaw. Because of that, people can use their bare hands to keep their mouth closed.
Crocodiles can be often seen with their jaws wide open. They open their jaws to cool themselves because they don't have sweat glands.
Only crocodile's belly has a gentle skin. Skin on their back contains bony structures (called osteoderms) which make skin bulletproof.
Crocodiles have excellent eyesight (especially during the night). Their eyes can be seen as red dots while peeking from the water during the night.
Crocodiles and alligators are not the same. Crocodiles are larger, have V-shaped jaw and some of their teeth can be seen even when the jaw is fully closed. Alligators are smaller, they have U-shaped jaw and their teeth are not visible when jaws are closed.
Crocodiles mate during monsoon season. Female lays 20-80 eggs and take care of them 3 months.
Temperature of the nest determines the gender of the baby. When temperature is 31.6 degrees Celsius - males will develop. Temperature below and above 31.6 degrees induces development of females.
99% of crocodile babies will be eaten in the first year of their life by large fish, hyenas, monitor lizards and larger crocodiles.
Most crocodiles live 50-60 years in the wild. Some crocodiles can live more than 80 years.
Penguins are amazing birds! They are not quite like any bird you have seen before in your backyard or at the park. They have adapted to their cold environment in a way that makes them pretty special. Here are some fun facts:
– Penguins are flightless birds.
– While other birds have wings for flying, penguins have adapted flippers to help them swim in the water.
– Most penguins live in the Southern Hemisphere.
– The Galapagos Penguin is the only penguin species that ventures north of the equator in the wild.
– Large penguin populations can be found in countries such as New Zealand, Australia, Chile, Argentina and South Africa.
– No penguins live at the North Pole.
– Penguins eat a range of fish and other sealife that they catch underwater.
– Penguins can drink sea water.
– Penguins spend around half their time in water and the other half on land.
.......to be continued!!!